Gingerbread Cupcakes are a festive and delicious way to celebrate the holiday season. These homemade cupcakes are quick and easy to make, and the scent of them in the oven will fill your kitchen with holiday goodness. With just the right amount of spice, and a light and fluffy texture, your family and friends will love these cupcakes!

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Gingerbread is packed full of classic holiday flavor.
Short on time? These cupcakes are ready in under 30 minutes!
While gingerbread can sometimes be dense, these cupcakes are light and fluffy.
They are perfect for serving or bringing to holiday parties.
Frost with either buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
Decorating can be kept simple with just a sprinkle of cinnamon, or you can get creative with sprinkles and piping.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Let’s discuss what you’ll need, and the steps you’ll take, to make these light and fluffy gingerbread cupcakes. My goal is to provide you with information to help you be successful when making this recipe in your kitchen. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom for the full printable recipe.

How To Make Gingerbread Cupcakes

Ingredients

All purpose flour – Make sure to give your flour a stir, then measure it by spooning the flour into the measuring cup, then leveling it off. Do not measure the flour by scooping with the measuring cup as this will compact it and result in too much flour.
Baking powder – Always check the expiration date on your baking powder, as it is vital to getting a nice rise on your baked goods.
Salt, Pumpkin Spice and Ground Cinnamon – If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, here’s my recipe to make your own.
Sugar – White, granulated sugar.
Butter – Unsalted butter is prefered, and make sure it is softened and at room temperature.
Eggs – Make sure your eggs are medium to large in size, and at room temperature.
Milk – Whichever milk your family keeps on hand for drinking will work.
Molasses – I’ve always used Grandma’s Molasses, and recommend it. Do not use blackstrap molasses, as it is not as sweet and can be fairly bitter.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, then line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon, then set the bowl aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until it is light and resembles wet sand. Add in the eggs and mix on low to medium speed for about 30 seconds.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and milk, mixing on low to medium speed until the cake batter is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the molasses, until it is incorporated throughout the batter.

Evenly fill the prepared liners with batter, filling about ⅔ full. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the tops of the cupcakes spring back to the touch.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely prior to frosting.

Frosting and Decorating

My top choice for frosting on gingerbread cupcakes is cream cheese frosting, followed by buttercream.

One of the great things about gingerbread cupcakes is that they really don’t require any sort of fancy decorating. They look beautiful when kept simple. Here are some easy ideas for how you could decorate your cupcakes.

Crushed gingerbread cookie sprinkled on top of each cupcake with mini gingerbread man cookie
Crushed gingerbread cookie sprinkled on top of each cupcake, with mini snowflake gingerbread cookie, frosted and topped with sprinkles
Sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon stick, as shown.

Storage

Unfrosted, these can be stored tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days, beyond that they will start to dry out. They can be frozen for up to two months.

If frosting with cream cheese frosting, store in the refrigerator. Buttercream topped cupcakes can be stored at room temperature.